


A parent's reason

by ChibyL



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Crying Louis, Crying Niall, Hurt Louis, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Harry, Sick Louis, ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-05 06:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6692998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibyL/pseuds/ChibyL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry thinks his father has a favorite son, but maybe there is something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A parent's reason

**Author's Note:**

> kay, so... first of all, where did I get this idea?  
> From niallismyleperchaun's fanfic (On Wattpad). Without making any spoiler to her story, all I say is that when I read it, all I could think about was "WHY IN THE HELL IS LIAM ACTING LIKE THAT?" There had to be a reason... and my brain basically decided on its own that this was the reason, so... here we are!
> 
> In this fic Zayn and Liam are the parents  
> Harry is 15  
> Louis is 6  
> Niall is 2
> 
> Also... It’s from Harry’s POV so remember that it’s how a 15 years old boy sees it all, not how it actually is.
> 
> Enjoy!!!

 

Harry wakes up to the sound of his brother crying in the room next to his own. It’s the third day in a row and he doesn’t even have to think what the noise that woke him up is, he already knows it’s Niall, who doesn’t like to wake up alone in a dark room.

It doesn’t matter how many times he tried to tell his dads that Niall needs a light in the room, they keep saying that Louis can’t sleep with lights on and Niall has to grow up.

So Harry tiredly makes his way out of bed and into his brothers’ room, turning all the lights on and sighing at the pitiful sight of his two year old brother sitting in the middle of his too big bed with his tear stained face and crying so hard that he can’t stop coughing.

“Hey, Ni, it’s okay. I am here now,” he said in a soothing way, picking the kid up and bouncing him up and down, “What about we watch cartoons for a while?”

They have half an hour before their dads’ alarm goes off and they have to get ready for the day, so there’s no point into going back to sleep.

Harry carefully peeks into their dads’ room just to find both of them deeply asleep, completely unaware of their little one crying his eyes out and Louis sleeping in the middle of them, all curled up against Liam.

Now, Harry has nothing against his brother, Louis is nice as a noisy six years old boy can be, but that doesn’t justify their dads’ behaviour towards Harry and especially Niall.

Niall is the little one, he is the one they should always fuss about, not Louis. When Louis was the youngest, before Niall came in the picture, they weren’t even that protective towards him. Now it’s like they don’t want to be Niall’s dads anymore and that doesn’t make sense because Niall is the cutest boy ever, he is a lot nicer than Louis, less fussy and more cuddly. He is the perfect little kid, but they still prefer Louis and Harry is pretty sure dads shouldn’t pick up a favorite kid.

He isn’t being very fair. Liam is the one who does all the favoritism thing, Zayn is just too busy with work. But at least when he is at home he acts the same way towards all of his kids.

As Harry makes his way downstairs, with Niall still cradled against his chest, the little one has stopped crying, he is just hiccupping from time to time to let Harry know that he is still very sad.

“Baby boy what do you think about making some pancakes?” Harry asks well aware that Liam had suggested to go out for breakfast this morning. Well, it was just because Louis wanted to and Harry has no intention to do whatever that little brat wants.

Luckily for him, Niall nods his head, focusing on Peppa the Pig on TV and allowing Harry to fix breakfast. He has just put the dough in the fridge when Zayn makes his way downstairs.

“Hey, how is my favorite little boy?” Harry hears Zayn talking softly to Niall and smiles to himself when he hears them coming in the kitchen, Zayn calling his name, “Harry, thank you for taking care of him. He was crying again, wasn’t he?”

At this point Harry stops trying to fix the mess he’s made in the kitchen and dries his hands on a cloth, “He needs a light in the room, Dad. I told you, he’s scared.”

“I know, I know,” Zayn replies frustrated, playing with his son’s blond hair, “But Louis-”

“Louis sleeps with you every night! Now tell me why-”

“Good morning,” Liam waves with a hand, holding a half asleep Louis in his other arm, “Everything good?”

Harry clenches his jaw, knowing that it’s not his place to talk, but he isn’t surprised at all when Zayn just nods his head, “Yeah, Harry was just telling me what he made for breakfast.”

“Oh, you made breakfast?” Liam asks and Harry doesn’t get why he sounds so proud right now, he should be disappointed that Harry purposely ignored his wish. “That’s good. Aren’t you happy, Niall?” he asks, rubbing his son’s cheek to make him look at him, but Niall grumpy hides his face on Zayn’s shoulder and Harry cheers at the sight.

“Niall, come on,” Zayn coos, “Answer daddy.”

“It doesn’t matter, Zayn. It’s fine, really,” Liam says, focusing all his attention on his favorite son, sitting on a chair without even look at the others in the room.

It’s Zayn the first one who breaks the tension in the room, giving Niall to Harry and offering to cook the pancakes. Now, Harry would do it on his own, but he also wants to cheer his brother up, so he just lets Zayn cook and sits on the opposite side of Liam. If he is being a little too much noisy and if he is exaggerating his laughs a bit, actually enjoying the way Louis is looking at him… well, he doesn’t feel guilty at all! Louis already has whatever he wants from his dads, he doesn’t need more.

When the breakfast is ready, they all sit in an awkward silence and Harry doesn’t want to look away from his plate. He feels a bit guilty because it’s Sunday and it’s the only day Zayn stays at home and maybe he wants to have a nice day with all his family but the atmosphere is still tense and Harry knows this won’t be too different from any other day, just arguing with Liam for every little thing and having the two kids crying around all the time.

“Zayn, please, don’t give him that,” Liam says at some point and Harry instantly looks up, finding Zayn with his fork mid air between the plate and Niall’s open mouth.

“What’s wrong with it?” Zayn asks.

“It’s too big, he’ll choke on it,” Liam explains and Harry wonders why he never pays attention when it’s Harry giving Niall his food.

He is about to ask it, but Liam is already focusing on Louis again, cleaning his mouth and making him laugh. Nothing has ever been as irritating as Louis’ laugh to be honest.

“Can we go to the park, dad?” Harry asks, “The weather is nice and Niall and I-”

Before he can even finish his speech, Liam bluntly replies “Nope.”

“I was asking dad, not you,” Harry replies just as harsh.

“Okay. Zayn, please, tell him no.”

Zayn just puts the fork on the table and pushes his plate away, “Enough,” He states abruptly standing up, “Here is what we are going to do. We spend the morning here, doing something together as a family. And if you all behave, I’m taking you two to the park this afternoon,” Zayn explains, pointing to Niall and Harry.

“Zayn!”

“They can’t always stay at home, Liam.”

“But it’s not fair!”

“Yeah, it’s not fair!” Harry for once has to agree with Liam. It’s not fair that just because he and Louis want to stay at home they all have to. “Come on, Niall, let’s go play in the living room.”

“Daddy,” Louis whines, “Can I play too?”

“Of course you can,” Liam smiles, helping Louis out of his chair.

Harry picks Niall up, ruffling his hair and making him giggle, while he answers both his dad and his brother, “Actually no. That’s a game for two!”

“So find another game,” Liam asks, looking somewhat expectantly, but Harry is not going to go back on his decision. Louis has to learn he can’t have whatever he wants and if his dads are too dumb to teach him that, then Harry will.

“Harry please,” Zayn calls from where he is pretending to be doing the dishes just to avoid to face his husband.

“Oh, fine! You want him to play? Come here, Louis,” Harry shouts, using his free arm to grab Louis wrist, carelessly taking big steps so that Louis stumbles to walk with him. “Let’s play then!”

Liam looks at them and Harry knows he wants to say something, but for some reason he is trying not to. He just mumbles, “Please be careful with them, they are kids.”

“Oh really? I hadn’t noticed!” Harry snaps back letting go of Louis and sitting Niall on the ground, grabbing all the toys from the box next to the TV.

He places Niall’s favorite car on the ground and sits behind him, placing the joystick into Niall’s small hands.

“Ready?” he asks, well aware that Niall will only slam it everywhere, not able to coordinate his body, let alone a joystick! But it doesn’t matter because every time the car bangs somewhere he laughs and that’s exactly what Harry wants.

“Harry?” Louis asks, pulling at his shirt, “Can I play too?”

“You have your toys, Louis.”

“But I want to play with you,” the boy argues and Harry sighs.

“Find something else to play with. I told you this game was just for the two of us.”

“But daddy said I could play,” Louis tries again, but Harry pretends not to listen, focusing on the giggling Niall in his arms, so Louis gives up, sitting on the couch and staring at them with tears in his eyes.

Niall is just babbling about the car, his sentences only half making sense, when he hears shouting from the kitchen. “Hey, Ni… why don’t you wait here for a moment, yeah?” he asks, standing up.

His first intention is to go in and tell his dads to lower their voices, but then he stops deciding that for once he wants to know what they are arguing about. Niall is so focused on playing that he doesn’t mind the shouting, so it’s okay. He doesn't bother to check if Louis is okay, he is old enough to man up.

“Can you lower your voice, Liam? The kids are just out there,” Zayn sighs.

“It’s just- Zayn it’s not fair.”

“Liam, is it fair that I get to stay with my family once a week and I have to go through all of this? And it’s just because you don’t want to talk to your own son.”

Oh. So this is about Harry, right? It’s him the only son Liam doesn’t want to talk to.

“He is too young, Zayn. I don’t want him involved into all of this and if he has to hate me it’s fine. I can take it.”

Harry can hear Zayn’s laugh, but it’s not a happy one and he doesn’t like the sound of it. It’s the sound of someone being impossibly frustrated and not knowing how to relieve the tension. “Liam, you are destroying yourself and this family, you just can’t see it,” he says in the end.

And after that there is just silence. Maybe Harry can hear someone crying, but he is not sure. Everything is quiet again and Harry slowly makes his way back to Niall only to find him and Louis playing together.

Niall is in the same position Harry had left him, the joystick laying between his legs and Louis is crouching next to him, using just a finger to push on the key and make the car speed. It slams against the couch and Niall laughs, Louis enjoying the sight.

“Hey!” Harry calls, startling the two brothers who look at him curiously. “I thought I told you to play with your toys,” he shouts, grabbing Louis from his wrist and pushing him away from Niall.

Well, he should have been a bit more careful, but sometimes Harry forgets that he is fifteen, and his brother is a lot younger, a lot smaller. Louis stumbles back, trying to balance his weight, only ending up in a sitting position with a loud thud.

Then a piercing scream fills the room and before Harry can process what’s happening, he has two crying boys in front of him. Louis is scared, or probably hurt, Harry has no clue and Niall just cries because someone else is crying too. He is ready to yell at his brother to shut up when Liam comes running in the room, crouching in front of his middle child, trying to calm him down and make him talk, so Harry picks Niall up and shushes him. Zayn stares helpless at the scene in front of him.

In the end he sits next to Liam too, slightly elbowing his husband to make him shut up, before turning to his son. “Louis, calm down. Tell dad what’s wrong, please.”

Louis hiccups clutching his left arm to his chest, “Hurts.”

“What hu-”

“Liam, shut up!” Zayn snaps at the panicked tone of his husband. Then he takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself, “Your arm hurts? Can dad see it?”

Louis shakes his head, just crying harder.

“Okay. And if we let daddy see it? You know daddy won’t hurt you, right?” Louis shakes his head again, but this time Zayn doesn’t give up so easily. “But it hurts, right? And you know if you don’t let us see the pain won’t go away.”

“Hurts.”

“I know,” Zayn coos and Harry has to admit that he is good at that, a lot better than Liam. “I know it hurts. Just let me or daddy see it, okay?”

That’s how he manages to slowly take Louis’ arm into his own and that’s when Harry sees his wrist already puffed up and a deep shade of red.

“Fuck!” Liam yelps, “Zayn, we need to take him to the hospital.”

“I know.”

“Like right now.”

“I know,” Zayn repeats, “Pick him up, I grab some ice.”

Liam complies and stands there, cradling a crying Louis into his arms, waiting for Zayn to reappear a second later with an ice pack in his hands.

He places it on Louis’ swollen wrist, guiding his other hand over it, “You keep this right here, okay Louis? Louis, listen to dad, please. Keep your hand here, I know it hurts.”

“Zayn-”

“Liam you go, I stay here.”

“What? But, why?”

Zayn sighs,  it looks like he knew this was bound to happen, “Because we have other two children and they are scared. We can’t leave them alone all the  time. Now please.”

“You really are a terrible parent,” Liam whines, but then he just rubs Louis back, “It’s okay. Daddy is here, he is taking care of you.”

When Liam slams the door close Harry realizes that he has been standing there the whole time, with his mouth open and Niall is still crying in his arms, startled by all the commotion but he doesn’t know what to do about it. He has hurt Louis’ arm and he didn’t meant to. He just wanted to – what did he want actually? He was taking his revenge on a six years old kid.

“Dad…”

“Harry, it’s okay. Don’t worry, okay?”

Harry then remembers Liam’s last words, “You are a better parent than Liam,” he says out loud, “At least you remember you have three sons.”

“Harry, please.”

“No! Okay? I am sick of all of this. Dad, your husband never plays with Niall, he doesn’t even changes it, you know that? I change his nappy every fucking time. I play with him. I feed him. For your husband Louis is the only one who matters and he has the gut to tell you that you are a bad parent? I hate him!”

“Harry!” Zayn yells at him.

Zayn takes Niall from Harry’s hands and calms the kid down, singing to him some songs Harry remembers from when  he was younger and once Niall is quiet enough, he stops in front of Harry. “Okay, this ends right now. Sit down.”

“Dad-”

“Sit down and listen. I don’t care of what Liam thinks, you are old enough to understand and if you don’t want to understand at least there will be a reason for you and your father to argue so much.” Zayn takes a deep breath, “Louis is sick.”

“He has a broken wrist, it’s nothing you haven’t already faced.”

“Harry would you please let me talk? We have to be a bit more careful around him, or things like that might happen a lot more often. Do you understand that?” Harry doesn’t answer, clenching his jaw and Zayn sighs, “You can talk now.”

“I understand. But I don’t get what’s wrong.”

“We don’t know yet. All we know is that we have to be careful around him and that there are a lot of things he can’t do. Like going to the park. And your dad is a bit overprotective, but it’s just because he is really scared, he still loves you so much. It just wouldn't be fair for you and Niall to play at the park, while Louis has to sit and watch, is it?”

It’s clear that Zayn knows a lot more than he is saying, but Harry figures he doesn’t want to get in trouble with Liam, since he didn’t want Harry to know. And besides, if Liam still loves all of his children, he has a weird way to show it, Harry thinks, but he doesn’t know if he can say it out loud or not.

“But I don’t like the way you ignore your brother. You can’t just deny him because you think your dad gives him too much attention.”

Harry waits a moment, just to be sure Zayn is done with his speech, “Someone needs to let Niall know they love him too. You are not around and your husband is clearly busy, so…”

“Niall is two, he doesn’t understand that someone else is getting more attention than him, as long as someone stays with him. And I know it’s not your job to take care of him, I’m trying to talk to your dad, but he thinks that it’s better for you to be busy with Niall than worry about Louis. I am not justifying him, okay? But I don’t want you to hate your brother and I don’t want you to force some thoughts into Niall’s head. Louis is still your brother and you care about him, you were scared when he was crying.”

“I wasn’t. I was worried for Niall, look he is still so upset,” Harry says, pointing to his sleeping brother.

“Harry, put your shoes on.”

“Why?”

“We are going to the hospital.”

“Dad I don’t think it’s necessary. We can wait here,” Harry says, but when Zayn picks Niall’s coat from the closet next to the door, he understands that he really wants to go out, so he tries to convince him. “Look, dad, you can’t take a two year old kid in a hospital just because-”

“Harry! Who is the adult here? Now, go put some shoes on.”

Harry doesn’t say anything at this point, but for the whole ride he just stares out of the window, not bothering to answer to Niall’s inchoerent bubbling or to Zayn asking him if the car is bothering him at all. It is, he always feels slightly nauseated when Zayn is driving, but he doesn’t want to talk to him right now.

It’s clear that it’s not the first time they are in the hospital, because a nurse recognises Zayn and leads him to Louis’ room, giving him a warm smile and ruffling Niall’s hair, complimenting Zayn for his sons. Harry actually finds himself wondering if Niall has already been here too.

It sounds reasonable. The only moment of the day Liam could have taken Louis here without Harry noticing, is in the morning, while he is as school. And that means that no one could watch Niall.

When they enter the room, the first instinct Harry has is to hide behind his dad’s back, peeking inside from behind his shoulder.

Liam is sitting on a chair, singing to Louis the same song Zayn was singing to Niall before and as soon as he hears it Niall snaps his head up enjoying the sound. Louis is just laying on his bed, sobbing while his daddy runs a hand through his hair.

It takes a moment for Liam to realise that there is someone in the room, but once hie eyes lay on the rest of his family his face goes pale. “What are you doing here?” he asks glaring at Zayn and Harry really wouldn’t be in his father’s shoes because he knows that look and it means nothing good.

“We wanted to know how is Louis.”

“You could have called.”

“Liam, seriously, drop it,” Zayn warns, turning to Louis, “Hey, big boy!”

“Dah-Dad!” Louis sobs pityfully.

Harry just stands in the corner of the room, cradling Niall who is slowly falling asleep in his arms. He can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen at this point, if Liam is going to throw everyone else out or Zayn is going to win this time and they’ll spend the rest of the day here. He doesn’t even know what he wants at this point.

“Liam, what did the doctor say?”

Liam rubs his temples, “His wrist is broken, they are waiting for the swelling to go down a bit to put it in a cast.”

“And?”

“Not now Zayn.”

“Harry knows, now talk.”

Liam is fuming at this point, Harry can see him actually shaking in anger and he almost wonders how it would be if it was an illustration from one of his cartoons.

“They are waiting a couple of hours, if it’s still like that they’ll drain it,” Liam explaining, lowering his voice as he mentions a needle being used for the procedure, so Louis doesn't hear it, “Louis was crying too much, I didn’t get it all. We have to pay attention if his hand gets worse.”

“Wanna go home,” Louis mumbles at some point, protruding his lower lip and Harry almost feels bad for him.

Liam leans to him, picking him up as careful as possible and sitting him in his lap, “It’s okay, Lou. We’ll go home soon, just be a brave big boy for a little bit, yeah?”

But of course Louis doesn’t want to act mature and soon enough he starts sobbing louder. A lot louder, actually. He makes Niall wake up frantically, the little boy looks around the unfamiliar place realising that something is wrong and begins to cry even harder than Louis.

“Oh,  come on!” Harry yells frustrated. Why can’t they just keep it quiet? The kid was sleeping…

“Please, make him shut up,” Liam asks at some point and that’s when Harry loses it.

“I told you I didn’t want to come. I told you he hates us,” he yells at Zayn, “But you just didn’t listen to me. Are you happy now? It’s all about Louis, as always. I hate you al-”

Zayn basically rips Niall out of Harry’s arms, giving him the worst look Harry has ever received. “I don’t want to hear your voice anymore, Harry. Just shut the fuck up.”

Harry does what he has been told, fighting back tears. He is too stubborn to cry, but Zayn never talks like that and he feels like he has done something really, really bad. The fact that Liam is silently crying isn’t helping his guilt.

Soon enough Niall’s crying quiets down and that’s when Harry realises that Louis isn’t crying anymore, he is just staring at him with his big blue watery eyes.

“Why do you hate us?” he asks in a thin, pain filled voice.

“He doesn’t hate you,” Liam explains, wiping at his own eyes, “He is just a bit angry because daddy has been mean to him. But he doesn’t hate you, I promise Louis.”

Okay, they are just trying to make Harry feel guilty now. Because it suddenly seems so unfair that Liam takes the guilty for everything and Harry almost wants to tell him, but he is too scared to talk.

Louis shifts a bit into Liam’s arms, hiding his face against his chest, “He never wants to play. Only Niall. He hates me.”

That’s when Harry realises that he has been doing to Louis exactly what Liam has been doing to Niall. The only difference being that Louis is old enough to understand it, just like Zayn tried to explain.

Liam sighs, pushing some hair off Louis’ face. “No, that’s not true. It’s just that you are always busy with daddy, right? So he can never play with you even if he wants to,” Liam explains, giving Harry a pleading look, expecting him to do something. “Harry-”

“Let him be, Liam,” Zayn calls from his spot, not looking away from the sleepy Niall in his arms.

“I don’t hate you, Louis. I am sorry,” Harry finally manages to say, barely chocking back a sob as he carefully sits next to Liam, opening his arms for Louis to climb in.

Louis looks at him a bit shy not moving an inch until Liam places him in Harry’s lap and Harry is almost surprised that his dad still trusts him with Louis. He understands why Zayn is so angry, he made his husband cry and that’s unforgivable. But apparentely Liam is fine with it, as long as Harry shows Louis he cares about him.

Louis slowly relaxes into his arms, not moving at all, just melting into his embrace and slowly closing his eyes too.

“Thank you, Harry,” Liam says bitterly, standing up from the bed and sitting back in the chair. “He'll fall asleep soon, they gave him meds.”

“Daddy, look, I am sorry-”

“It’s okay.”

“Liam, let him talk for once. I think it’s the right moment for you two to talk.”

That’s right. They should talk but Harry doesn’t know where to start from. He gets it, now. They are scared for Louis. Louis has to be scared too, the poor boy probably doesn’t even understand what’s going on. No wonder he is always so quiet lately. And with Zayn working so much, Liam is going through all of this mostly on his own. On the top of it all he has to face a bratty son everyday. Harry has done everything to make him feel guilty, but if he had known, maybe he could have helped.

“Since when do you know that something is wrong with Louis?” he asks when he gets that Liam doesn’t want to begin.

“Since this winter, when he fell from the stairs.” Harry remembers it. Louis and Liam had been away for two days, Zayn hadn’t really explained where they were, but Harry had a test at school next day and he hadn’t questioned.

“I feel so guilty. I wish you had told me.”

“You shouldn’t worry about it, Harry. You are still a kid.”

Harry doesn’t feel like a kid, but it’s nice to know that his daddies still worry about him, even id they have the weirdest way to show it. He  doesn’t know what to say anymore, so he just focuses on Louis, staring down at him. “Daddy!” he yelps.

“What?”

Harry carefully takes Louis’ hand into his own. His arm is bandaged, but his puffy fingers are free, so he shows them to Liam, “Was it already like this?”

“It wasn’t,” Liam mumbles and when Zayn gets closer he tells him outloud, “His hand is swelling up again. It means it’s bleeding again. We have to call someone.”

Zayn hits the button next to Louis’ bed, “Don’t panic, Liam. Everything is okay.”

Harry repeats that words in his mind. No need to worry, everything is okay. So, why does he feel so terrified?

All of a sudden a doctor takes Louis from his arms, laying him on the bed and cutting the bandage from his hands, Louis slowly waking up during the procedure.

“You should go out,” the doctor tells them, not looking from Louis’ arm and slowly moving his small fingers with her hand. “One of you can stay but please be calm, the kid is scared enough.”

Of course Liam is the one who stays, even if his eyes are full of tears and his hands are shaking. It doesn't matter because Louis is only looking at him, silently begging for him to help and Harry wonders how many times he has already been here because it's fucking impossible that he isn't screaming like crazy. Instead he lays there quiet, as if he surrendered himself to the events.

Once they are outside, Harry can't take it anymore and he shamelessly begins to cry.

“I am sorry, dad. I didn't know- I wouldn't have done all of that, I promise. I just-”

Zayn hates him, that's it. Harry hates himself too, so it's okay.

“I don't hate you, Harry. And there is no point into hating yourself,” Zayn tells him and Harry realises he has been thinking out loud, “Just think twice before you speak next time.”

Harry barely nods, looking through the room window to his crying brother, and the helpless face of his daddy.

Maybe he is still angry at Liam because there were other ways to face the situation. He could have spoke to Harry, that would have been easier, Harry could have helped, especially with trying to keep Louis busy and not make him feel like there are things he can't do, like he is sick. Liam could have still played a bit more with Niall, who basically feels like he has no more daddy.

And it's partly Zayn's fault too, because Harry gets that he has a job but that doesn't mean that his husband has to take care of everything. This is a family emergency and he could be a bit more present.

But maybe, it doesn't matter how much Harry has to blame his parents, because he hasn't been the best son and surely he hasn't been the best brother.

 


End file.
